Run a HDD diagnostic test in the BIOS. Google HDD diagnostic with the computers makers name (lenovo, hp, dell) for instructions, It will test the health of the HDD.
How to determine if my PC hard drive is going bad? When I boot the PC up, something in there makes a noise like my wife's Vita-Mix for a few minutes. It has to be either the fan or the hard drive, and I REALLY don't want to pull the cover off.
Hard drives rarely make any noises like that. You'll start to lose icons and it will do other odd things on your screen or just not boot up. Sounds like the CPU fan to me. It's either really dirty or needs to be replaced. The only other fan is the power unit fan and you would know if it wasn't working as the unit wouldn't turn on. I have a large CPU fan and another fan to keep the inside cool. I know that sound and it's your CPU fan and is easily replaced. It's not your hard drive. Clean those fans first, then replace if it still makes the noise. Very rare that a hard drive makes any noise.
That sound's like a broken fan. Depending on how old it is, hard drives should/Don't make sounds like that. If you're hard drive were to be going bad, it would go very fast, and you're computer would most likely be inoperatable. The hard drive is an important core to you're computer, and if it gets damaged, its basically game over for you're pc.
